By Ethan Stinson
Serving as an action film, buddy comedy and love letter to the work of actor Nicholas Cage (“National Treasure”), it seems almost too good to be true that “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” exists.
Following a fictionalized version of Cage, the film sees the iconic actor attend a rich playboy’s (Pedro Pascal, “The Madalorian”) birthday party out of desperation for money. However, when informed by the CIA that his host is a potentially dangerous arms dealer, Cage takes on the role of real-life spy to help take him down.
Placing a major focus on Cage and his stardom, “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is unsurprisingly filled to the brim with jokes and references relating to his prior films and roles. Though the majority of the Cage-centric humor should land for those who have seen his films, others with a limited knowledge of the “Con Air” star’s work may find themselves to be at times perplexed.
Aside from its constant Cage references, the film’s humor relies heavily on the interactions between Cage and Pascal’s characters. Trasitioning from a reluctant and apprehensive relationship to a budding bromance, the two characters are shown bonding in a genuine, often silly, fashion that is sure to keep viewers all smiles.
However, the moments in which the characters are either separated from each other or completely absent prove to be far less entertaining. Such is especially the case for scenes focusing on Cage’s estrangement from his daughter (Lily Sheen, “Underworld: Evolution”), a conflict that feels more contrived than necessary. Though the occasional lull in scenes featuring Cage and Pascal may cause the film to drag, those featuring Cage’s interactions with an imaginary version of his younger bad boy persona help preserve its overall entertainment value solely through their shear absurdity.
With films like “Being John Malkovich” having already explored the potential of lampooning its titular star’s fame, “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” takes the novel concept to a whole new level. Being about as unhinged and bizarre as some of Cage’s best known performances, the film does not hold back presenting outrageous meta humor. By not taking itself too seriously, the film find its footing by letting loose and being fun just for the sake of it. With a charming pair of leads and endless catalog of references at its disposal, it is sure to delight comedy fans dying for unrestrained, unabashedly stupid humor.
Image from Lionsgate Movies via YouTube
